Mr Monk and the TV Dinners
by xYours Trulyx
Summary: When a young girl's father is murdered, she enlists the help of Monk, Stottlemeyer, and the gang to find this elleged killer. Is it all a hoax, like the Captain believes? Or is there more to it? Natalie seems to think so. Rated T to be safe.
1. Preface

PREFACE:

The San Francisco sky lit up with the sparks of fireworks, thundering and exploding overhead Crissy Field in an array of color. Spectators cheered with every _BOOM_ and lined the grassy field adjoining the shore, all in hopes of getting a good view.

"Happy Fourth of July, Dad!" a girl in the crowd shouted, her voice stolen by the wind and the noise. She smiled wide, pushing strands of mousy hair from her face, only to have it blown back again. Her father towered over her, but smiled just as heartily.

As a halo of fireworks erupted behind him, the girl's father started to reply. "Happy--" The words stuck in his throat. His amiable face contorted with shock and pain, and slowly he fell forward.

"Dad?" The girl murmured, confused. Her father was now eyelevel with her, kneeling on the ground, and painfully stuttered out, "Jacob…Stanley!" His eyes widened with desperation. The man whispered a quick "I…love you" before collapsing upon the grass.

"Dad!? Dad!!"


	2. Mr Monk and the Pen

CHAPTER ONE:

**Natalie's POV**

"Mr. Monk," I pleaded, following my eccentric boss around the department. Sometimes I doubted that "eccentric" covered it.

"I promise you, my hands were clean!"

Monk shook his head, still trying to ignore me by escaping me. It wasn't gonna happen. "But you _still touched _it. My pen! Ah, it will have to be incinerated! And I really did like that pen."

It's been like this for days. As Captain Stottlemeyer bombarded Monk with nearly impossible cases (and, of course, Monk solving every one), he began to get really picky with how "clean" I was. I don't know if his stress level is causing him to take it out on me, but I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Kroger for my poor boss to come in. Sometimes I wish it was _me _getting the therapy.

"Please, Mr. Monk. You're overreacting."

Monk did something really childish then. Raising both hands to his ears and plugging them with his fingers, he took a seat just outside Stottlemeyer's office and hummed.

Sighing, I took a seat beside him. Despite my ongoing battles with Monk, I still admired his innocence.

As we sat there, I saw the door to the department open and a small shape moving towards the Captain's office. The shape neared, and I realized that it was a girl. No older than Julie, perhaps. I would have asked her if she was here for that very reason--to see Julie--but I got the impression from her resolute face that she wasn't here for a playdate.

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**Capt. Stottlemeyer's POV**

I was thinking through (or _trying _to think through) a particularly hard case when the door to my office swung open. I assumed at first it was Disher, and already had a "Go away," on my tongue, a much different figure appeared before me.

"May I…help you?" I asked. What was a child doing in my office? No, not a child. Her face was too stern and knowing to be as artless as a child.

"Captain Stottlemeyer?" The girl asked. She kept an even tone, yet hinted of impatience.

Nodding, I rose from my desk chair. "Yes?" I matched her impatience with my own, which seemed to set her back in her place.

"You're a homicide detective, right?"

"Look," I sighed. "If you're here for some school paper or Girl Scout cookie thing, I'm not interested. I'm a very busy man, so if you can just run along to Mommy--"

"I'm not here to sell cookies." She cut me off. I admired her get-to-the-point straightforwardness, and at the same time despised it. She reminded me of…well, me, when I was at that age. That's what startled me. "Or for a paper," she went on. "I came here to claim a murder."

Instinctively, I snorted. "For who, your dog Skippy?"

After I said that, I wished I hadn't, for the girl's defense had ruptured a bit and her face gave way to the pain.

Her eyes, wet with tears, stared fixedly into mine. "For my father."

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**A/N: Alright! Chapter One of my Monk fanfic! Thanks for reading! And if you could be so kind as to hit that "Review" button at the top of the page before you go, that'd be great D Tell me what you think!**


	3. Stottlemeyer and Frozen Food

CHAPTER TWO:

**Stottlemeyer's POV**

"Uh…_excuse me_?" I choked out like an idiot. Regaining my composure, I painted on that "business" face and took my seat again. "You mean to tell me that you believe your father was…"

"Murdered." The girl finished plainly. It seemed as if she was controlling her emotions, too.

Just then, Lt. Disher came into my office and ignorantly started up a conversation. His nose was buried in some files as he spoke. "Captain, I think I have a theory on this case…" He reached my desk before looking up and realizing he had interrupted this…meeting.

"Randy, I'll be with you in a moment." Turning my attention to the girl, I continued. "Now, missy, if this is some kind of prank you teens do, then--"

"Prank?" Randy asked. He never really did know how to keep quiet. "What are you talking about?"

"Randy!" I was about to tell him to leave when the girl (who infuriated me more by the second) piped up.

"My father was murdered, and I heard that Captain Stottlemeyer could help. You must be Lieutenant Disher." The girl stretched her hand out, blatantly ignoring me, and offered it to Disher. "Jen Davis. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I could see Disher blush as he took the girl's—Jen's—hand. I rolled my eyes. "Are we finished with the introductions, or should I tell the rest of the department who you are?"

Jen shook her head, fighting a complacent smile, like she _enjoyed_ irritating me. I began to believe it.

"Fine. So…do you have any evidence or reason to believe your father was murdered?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Randy interrupted me—again. He made a gesture that I assumed to be reassuring, but he pulled his hand back when he had no idea what to do with it. "Are you okay?" He asked the girl sympathetically. Great, now I felt bad because I hadn't thought of how the girl might feel.

"I'm fine." she replied, for the first time breaking away from Disher to look at me. "My father _was _murdered, Captain. He had a heart condition, but that's not what he died of, despite what the doctors are telling us."

"Who's 'us?'" I asked, still unbelieving.

"My aunt, uncle, and myself. Since my father's…well, they're my only legal guardians."

"And your mother?"

Jen glanced at the floor before answering. "Died in childbirth."

Oh, this kept getting better and better. "Mmhmm. So you think someone purposefully killed…?"

"Larry Davis"

My brow shot up. "Larry Davis…as in the famed frozen meal franchiser? _That_ Larry Davis?" Jen nodded. I leaned back in my chair, trying to sort this all out. "Why would anyone want to kill the creator of Chicken in 15 Minutes?"

The girl, Randy, and myself waited in silence as if the answer might just come to us. I saw Jen wipe away something from her eyes and stare intently at the floor. Was this really all just a prank? It had to have been...right?

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**A/N: Sorry for any typos, inconsistencies, and whatever else might be wrong with this fanfic. I would really appreciate reviews, critiques, and thoughts!**

**Also, sorry for changing the title on ya. I'm thinking up the plot as we go along, and the new title just made more sense.**


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